Following on from my PS 1 top 15 list - and my other blog which obviously just amused me seeing as it received a grand total of 0 views lol - I have moved on to it's rival of the time the N64, a truly beautiful machine which started the analog stick sensation, a standard in the industry nowadays. I would quickly say that for many they see it as a console catered towards children compared to the PS and whilst I would say that the PS has a wider variety of more adult games, the N64 does have these types of games if you look hard enough as a few of the games on this list will prove.

15. Donkey Kong 64

Starting off at number 15 then is the return of Donkey Kong on a different platform from the ones we've seen him on previously. Of course our antagonist from previous iterations is back and King. K. Rool is once again trying desperately to get back at DK and he soon captures DK's family and hoard of 'nanas. Whilst perhaps not the most innovative of sequels, what it does is done well, the platform style being good and gameplay is excellent. The real positive for this game however is the utilisation of different Kongs, each of whom brings something new to the table and each of whom has a positive effect on the game. Each different relative of DK has unique moves that enable them to obtain those out of reach items and each one is represented by a different colour, which helps distinguish which member of the family can collect what colour of coin/banana. Overall this is a fun day out for all Donkey Kong fans and although the collection aspect of DK 64 can be very hit and miss depending on who you talk to, this is a really good adventure game that incorporates fun characterisation and creative puzzles to produce a great game...Even despite that rap at the beginning!

14. Star Wars Rogue Squadron

Star Wars games have generally had a trend of being very hit and miss, some being really really good whilst other being downright terrible. This one is of the good variety and probably the finest Star Wars game I've had the pleasure of playing. It would take a long time to describe exactly what happens in the game as it's split into 4 chapters each of which has a certain aim/story to it but essentially Luke and Wedge (woooo!) have formed what is known as Rogue Squadron and are trying to protect the newly formed New Republic as it tries to expand and take over the diminished Galactic Empire and create peace. Ever inspired by the movies and Star Wars legend the game starts every chapter with a very Star Wars filmesque style to it that captures the mood brilliantly and sets up the scene and the aims. The voice acting as normal is really great and the visuals in high definition are really fantastic, but for me as a fan it was the ability to use all the different types of "wing" - A,X,Y,V and additionally the snow speeder and seeing how each handled and reacted to different circumstances. A really fun game that delved quite deep into the vast universe of the Star Wars saga, it enabled players to battle in different locations distinct to the films. Getting to see Wedge and Han's homeworld may not seem that big a deal for many but for the Star Wars fan it was a really special moment.

13. Turok: Dinosaur Hunter

Based on a particularly obscure and complicated comic book character and perhaps being slated already as another clone of Doom, Turok must have been a good game just to get past all those critics obsessed with tearing into it before it had even come out. The game's plot like the comic is centred around an American native who must stop the Campaigner from retrieving the Chronoscepter in order to conquer the world, whilst fighting through dinosaurs. The graphics in this game are really quite amazing and although when you're fighting multiple enemies it gets a bit choppy in frame rate, when you're face to face with a dinosaur you get a sense of intimidation, but also of spectacle. The realism when one is dying is unbelievable and the amount of blood that flies around when writhing on the floor is particularly impressive. The one massive favour that Turok did for itself was to go away from the closed environment of games like Doom and offer up a more vast, immersive experience that gamers would crave. The openness and on screen mist added tension due to the constant paranoia of a dinosaur "sneaking" up on you and the sound effects did nothing to combat this tension adding rich jungle noises and realistic animal calls. Whilst the controls at first are tricky, much like games such as Goldeneye, once you've played it enough the more second nature the controls end up feeling. A great, original game, Turok was a fantastic N64 exclusive that continues today to be a fun, engaging video game.

12. Starfox 64

Although the box art didn't feature that glorious picture on the SNES of Fox McCloud this remake was better in pretty much every way. Better 64-bit graphics, better controls and of course featuring the infamous rumble pak Starfox 64 was a really top notch game. The story is pretty much the same: the scientist Andross launches an attack across the Lylat system and Fox, Falco et al must use the Arwings in order to confront him. I believe that the rival gang Star Wolf was added as an incentive from the cancelled Starfox 2 which ended up being a really fun addition to the single player experience. That's the point though, that Starfox really is an experience and being able to travel to the various star systems, space stations and asteroid/meteor fields really gravitates the sense of freedom. That to me was unique because at the heart of it all you have a shooter type genre game, which shows the amount of effort put into not just creating a linear experience but really branching out and developing a world for the player. The addition of four player battle mode made this game great value for money while also providing much needed replay value that would eventually lead to Starfox being such a great game. "Now let's show those monkey people who's boss!"

11. Wave Race 64

A game such as Wave Race obviously has to work well on the console it's implemented on, in this case the N64. The lack of story means that replay value has to be high, gameplay has to be solid and controls are key to making this a viable success for the company. Obviously Wave Race does these things and more or it wouldn't be here in this list. Gameplay IS fantastic, but it's the ease at which you can use the analog stick in this game that sets it apart from other similar type games. Controlling your jet ski is such a blast because you understand that the analog makes everything so much easier to control which makes for a really fun experience. Combine that with killer graphics which pretty much eclipsed in my experience most other 64 titles and Wave Race becomes a classic. The number of fantastic game modes definitely helped to push the game, such as Stunt mode and 2 player versus mode but it was the championship circuit mode which was the game's integral core. The challenge of reverse courses was always a brilliant addition and this and hard mode were actually really tough which meant that you had to play it a lot to get past the various levels in the later stages. Essentially Wave Race is one of those games which is hard to put down because whilst being very visually engaging, almost to the point of perfection, it was the combination of championship mode as the main element and the time trials against friends and family that kept you wanting to improve and keep playing.

10. Super Smash Bros.

Winston Churchill once said "All the great things are simple" and this is something completely and utterly relevant to Super Smash Bros.. The premise is extraordinarily easy to understand; take your best console exclusive characters and pit them in a fight to the death. Toss in all your favourite Nintendo characters such as Mario, Pikachu and Link and you have a commercially interesting game that will appeal to the masses without having to spend too much time creating plot and storyline. Whilst the game's single player is a pretty standard stage by stage experience, you can tell that the developers really wanted to push the multiplayer as the integral component of this game and from that they created one of the top multiplayer games of all time, let alone on the N64. Whilst 2 player mode was key for 1 vs. 1 battles against a friend, the real joy of this game comes in the form of 4 player, all for all combat mode. The simplicity in learning how to play was there for sure, but the real joy was mastering those combos and really using them to full effect on an opponent. When everyone is of a high standard in a 4 player battle, it takes a little inventiveness to win and I particularly liked the fact that you were rewarded generally for going after those various combos instead of being defensive minded consistently. The game developers also have to be praised for the unbiased way in which they created the characters. True Link could statistically be slightly weaker, long load out time etc but he has positives to counter the negatives and really no character is truly weak. This overall is a great multiplayer game that has spawned other fantastic multiplayer sequels and has shown how this simplistic approach can last the test of time.

9. Pokemon Stadium

This game is brilliant and don't let anyone tell you otherwise! When first released this game garnered quite a mixed response but I like normal paid no attention to any of that critical dribble and bought the game immediately. It has been my most played game, stemming from a love of Pokemon and it's this adoration for the franchise which has made this review so incredibly biased. The thing about Pokemon Stadium is that it branches out and shows you what the potential is for a console RPG adventure game. It had realistic to scale models of all pokemon from the Blue and Red games and featured all the gym leaders to face up against plus the elite four, but if I'm honest it was the pure unadulterated multiplayer fun which was the key to this games success. The ability to play your mate in 64-bit graphic, anything goes 1 vs. 1 was really addictive and the hours spent playing my friends far outshone the hours spent in the gameboy's Colosseum, which were still a lot! I think the key thing about Stadium is that it takes a successful, imaginative original idea of the two starting games, expands on that slightly in a new format and really applies the "FUN" label all over the product. That's why it's so incredible, thanks to the ability to have a lasting, fun impact on the multiplayer and single player. Alongside this the big thing that drew people into Pokemon Stadium was the fact that you could use the GB transfer pak in order to take your pokemon from the original games and recreate them on the Nintendo with the same statistics to use. Whilst I would admit that the graphical models of the Pokemon were possibly better in Pokemon Snap, I think Stadium had a bigger input into trying to branch into the console market. We know obviously that Nintendo haven't published any new generational Pokemon console games, but I believe if you look back towards this game you'll see the integral infrastructure needed to create a successful future hit.

8. Perfect Dark

I'll be honest and upfront that I didn't get Perfect Dark as much as those who hailed it as the most unparalleled game to have ever been created. Nevertheless I still enjoyed it immensely and it is a technical triumph for Nintendo in every possible way. The story describes how Joanna Dark, our protagonist, must stop a conspiracy by a notable rival corporation called dataDyne. However in the middle of this is a bigger issue of an ongoing war between two alien like species that earth becomes entangled with. In terms of plot to call it Haloesque would be doing Perfect Dark an injustice but at this time it's the closest thing I can come up with. The graphics are typical of a Rare game and very commendable, but the AI is a big talking point. The ability for the AI to work with each other is very impressive even in terms of today's modern games and it's the things such as the way the they can run for cover and hide around corners that makes the game all the more realistic. The way enemies rush to pick up guns from fallen comrades or shoot your gun out of your hand is highly intuitive and brilliantly executed throughout the game and it's the little subtle things like these that add to it's importance in video game history. As usual, considering it's Rare, the multiplayer is fantastic and once again shows off their expertise in this department. The number of modes is as equally impressive as the number of weapons on hand to use,and the application into the gaming world of the FarSight XR-20 spawned one of the most original weapons in gaming history, with the ability to shoot through walls. Perfect Dark was an amazing game and although it hasn't aged as well as a lot of other N64 titles there were a lot of original ideas put into the game and a lot to admire in the expansive multiplayer that make Perfect Dark a special game.

7. Mario Kart 64

Mario Kart is a game so highly addictive it should come with a warning sticker, as it'll pull you in and never let go. I'd put a case forward that this game has one of if not the highest replay values of any game EVER. Though the N64 single player doesn't offer much more then the SNES original, it's obviously the multiplayer where Mario Kart comes into it's own. New tracks, vastly improved graphics thanks of course to the new console, more race characters and the 4 player racing option make for a fine improvement and the 4 player option is something which defines this game. Playing with friends in 4 player race mode is really addictive and time will fly by, which can sometimes be a bad thing . If you realise it's now 5 am not 11 pm then you're much like me, continually saying you'll stop after the next race. The new controller progressing from SNES to N64 is fantastically suited for Mario Kart, the analog stick being nicely responsive and really added extra fluidity to the gameplay. You can play as 1 of 8 characters from the Mushroom Kingdom, separated into 3 categories of light, middle and heavyweight and obviously each comes with distinct advantages and disadvantages. Nintendo are very good when it comes to levelling out character statistics, much like Super Smash Bros. and Mario Kart is no different. An essential title for the avid Nintendo fan and many others, Mario Kart is a game that will provide hours of fun and it's very hard to say no to the ever seductive vocal talents of Charles Martinet as not just Mario but Wario and Luigi too.

6. Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask

Any game that comes as the next installment in a Zelda series has a difficult task maintaining if not improving upon the general gameplay and atmosphere of the previous game. If that wasn't harsh enough, Majora's Mask had the additional unenviable task of being the follow-up game to Ocarina of Time. Luckily, whilst not as good as it's predecessor there is a lot to like in this charming Zelda entry. The story is set several months after Ocarina of Time, Link whilst riding has his horse and Ocarina stolen by Skull Boy. Skull Boy under the influence of the mask plans to crash the moon into Termina and of course it's up to Link to save the day. Majora's Mask is primarily based around exploration of dungeons like all Zelda games but there is a focus on finding and using various differing masks, all of which have different effects when used by Link. Some heighten certain senses whilst others transform him into creatures, giving him the possibility of digging or swimming underwater for long periods of time. The gameplay is relatively similar to previous Link titles, but that's not a bad thing as it is always solid and always engaging. The graphics however have been pretty significantly improved due to the expansion pak, which I believe is needed to play. These graphics are generally seen improved through the environment and scenery however character models still can look quite unclear and blurry. The real underlying difference in Majora's mask is that of adventure and exploration which is quite different to Ocarina and the side quests and mini games will eventually divide the opinions of many gamers. It is hard to talk about Majora's mask without mentioning Ocarina of Time, but just because it isn't quite as good does not deter from the fact that Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask is a fantastic addition to one of the best game franchises of all time.

5. Goldeneye 007

A game adaptation that totally eclipsed it's movie namesake, Goldeneye was for many and still is the essential N64 game. This was for many reasons, obviously the multiplayer was the integral part that kept replay value extremely high and set the benchmark for multiplayers to come but the single player was no slouch either and provided many with exceptionally high quality gaming. The game follows the same story arch of the film but to briefly sum up in case you haven't seen the film; James Bond discovers a plot that the corrupt 006 is planning to use the Goldeneye key to initiate a satellite attack on London which will leave the capital in ruins. You have to stop the launching of this satellite through various missions that eventually lead to a final confrontation with 006 himself, Alex Trevelyan. The graphics in the game are perfection for me whether it's the fantastic footprints in the snow, the bullet holes in the walls, the monumental nuclear missile or simply the lush environments. Graphically Goldeneye is easily one of the standout titles on the N64. While I was a bit hesitant about the controls at first I quickly got used to them and they generally work very well, enabling you to strafe left and right, aim quickly and efficiently all with consummate ease. The music is another integral part of James Bond in general and Goldeneye uses it to full advantage, providing the player with the obvious 007 title music through to eerie, windy sounds whilst walking through the snow-trodden paths of Siberia. However it is the multiplayer that Goldeneye will eventually be remembered for and it's the combination of split screen and great multiplayer modes, of which the Golden Gun mode will go down as legendary, that make it considered one of the best multiplayer games ever. Any game that has that much impact and can maintain replay ability even to this day must be considered a classic game.

4. Blast Corps

An action, puzzle game of the highest quality, Blast Corps isn't a Nintendo 64 title that immediately springs to mind, but it should because it's one of the most criminally underrated games of all time. A game about helping a truck deliver nuclear missiles for a controlled detonation may not sound like fun but this story leads to essentially having to wipe out entire cities in order to path a safe route through to the detonation site. The pure blissful enjoyment of carving your way through scenery, blasting through destructible environments is fantastic. The way Rare continually invites and rewards you with blowing stuff up is very satisfying and can become very engaging, as blowing stuff up is ALWAYS fun! To be honest this is a very masculine game, despite knowing girls who have played it, as it takes you back to that period where you were obsessed with trucks and cars etc, and Blast Corps piles on the various types of demolition vehicles in style. Ranging from a bulldozer to a mechanically activated robot, each vehicle is spectacular and each completely individual. The graphics in this game aren't something to be taken lightly either, as the vehicle animation is particularly inspiring and the attention to detail something special. From your tyres leaving track marks to the buildings not immediately collapsing but gradually turning to rubble, Blast Corps doesn't take half measures in graphics. Controls are fairly complicated at first, but you're able to adapt quite nicely and this gives the game somewhat of a progressive feel. The real brilliance in control terms however is that each individual vehicle moves and handles slightly differently so it challenges you to adapt and learn quickly. Blast Corps is a breath of fresh air to be honest, as it shows that N64 games can be different, varied, deeply interesting in all respects and it completely understands what it is and what it wants to do. It's also a game that I could see working extremely well as a PSN or XBLA remake, so Rare get on it!

3. Conker's Bad Fur Day

An absolutely nutty game (sorry couldn't resist !) Conker's Bad Fur Day is essentially the tale of an alcoholic squirrel, who after a night on the tiles has to get home to his girlfriend. Unfortunately on the way home he becomes entangled in a scheme by the Panther King to use Conker as one of the legs on his throne. Bizarre but brilliant, this is a game born of filth and drug reference and it was this that earnt it the cult status and the respect of many for really pushing the boundaries of what the N64 could produce. The gameplay was simplistic but still fresh in the sense that it introduced certain, what are dubbed as "context sensitive buttons" which gave Conker non-permanent abilities to be used to progress from level to level. The graphics again are brilliant, realistically portraying scenery and environment whilst also providing Conker and co. with some really extraordinary facial animation that make the game's scenes so engaging. I'm also a massive fan of the juxtaposition between the cute intricate animation of characters in game, the crudity of the language and subtlety of references. The fact that these swear words come out of this little squirrel's mouth really intensifies the narcissistic humour throughout said game. The fact our hero awakes in an LSD infused land, has to confront a singing pile of feces and in what can only be described as brilliant, questions a programmer from RARE about a lack of in-beta game testing is surely reason enough to go play it! A testament to Rare, this is not just a good game but it shows that they are willing to go in a different direction from the majority of previous game formats they've developed like DK and Banjo-Kazooie, and ultimately it worked supremely.

2. Mario 64

Our buccaneering Italian Stallion is back in an all new adventure and my god how good is this game! Once again princess Peach has been kidnapped by Bowser and it's up to Mario to garner enough star power to face up against and eventually defeat the evil koopa. The N64 in my humble opinion owes Mario pretty much everything, as it was Mario 64, the core launch title which provided Nintendo with a foot in the door. They needed Mario to sell well and also be received well critically and he definitely delivered. A game that single-handedly combined graphics, gameplay, controls almost to perfection, the only downside I can genuinely think of is the sometimes annoying camera angles, but you can get used to them so for me they're not a real problem. The exploration of this title is really something to behold and is only trumped by the next game on the list. It's immersive, exiting, exhilarating and any other adjectives you can think of and the developers at Nintendo really produced a game that took the concept of open world gameplay to another level. If it wasn't enough that you have this incredibly beautiful, huge castle they give you levels full of intricate detail, challenging puzzles and really brilliantly creative landscapes/environments and to be honest I feel privileged to have been able to play it when it was first launched. Mario 64 was also a great example of what the Nintendo 64 could do with it's new look controller and it utilises the analog stick very well. The ability of Mario to tip-toe and sprint depending on how hard you press the analog stick was genius as it showed to Playstation, their biggest rival, that they had something unique to their console. Having been playing this game a lot recently I think it has some of gaming's best kept secrets. From special moves to hard to find areas through to hidden stars, this game basically has everything that you want in a game and adds some...big time.

1........Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

To be fair only a flawless game could beat Mario 64 to top spot and Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is essentially perfect. An extremely intense story, it stars a young boy, Link, who must battle his way through various landscapes and dungeons in an attempt to rescue princess Zelda from the evil Ganondorf. The fact that we have here two of the greatest video game characters of all time, one protagonist, one antagonist is fantastic but for that to be eclipsed by a revelation towards the end is extraordinarily good narrative and plot. This game takes complete control of the N64 controller as the developers use each button in an extremely easy to use way. The B button will attack with the sword, the C buttons will be used as hotkeys and the A button is used as an action button for all the tasks not requiring items etc. Graphically, when it was released Ocarina of Time had probably the best graphics of any Nintendo 64 game and the detail in backdrops and effects is simply outstanding. An immersive experience as good as it gets, you feel attached to Link and when he is walking or galloping on Epona across the Hyrule fields it is both incredibly personal and completely memorable. In fact touching upon moments of clarity amidst all the fighting in the game , we get a sense of serenity and it's these moments which are both mesmerizing and hypnotic. The puzzle system, as usual involving dungeons or temples in this case is intuitive and hard and it wouldn't be Zelda without it. For many gamers even mentioning the formidable Water Temple leaves obvious lines on the forehead, as they think back to the exact point in which they were stuck for hours. It's a wonderful spectacle when the medium of gaming is utilised in such a fashion that it can realistically be admired from all sides of the culture "barrier" and although this game may not have the same impact on modern gamers, it's a certified fact that for the people who bought it on it's complete release, they will never forget the way they felt whilst commandeering Link around on horseback with the sun setting in the background. Amazing piece of technology!

Having written this I did notice a trend developing; company - Rare, and producer - Shigeru Miyamoto

Nintendo should be extremely thankful that they had these two on board. Miyamoto in my opinion is an absolute genius and only having looked at the games he's worked on do you realise just how influential an input he's had on Nintendo.

Another little point on comparing the two biggest consoles of the time, PS1 and N64; I would say having looked extensively at the various games and particular games belonging to each console that it is nigh on impossible to say which was better overall. On one hand PS1 did have a plethora of really exciting differing genre games, but if you look at which had the best games I'd say Ocarina of Time and Mario 64 beat Silent Hill and Mortal Kombat. So realistically it's whether you want a much better variety of games or fewer variety but knowing that the top games are the best.

Just thought I'd input a little bit more

What games would you say I've missed out possibly, ones that you really think are exceptional?

Any thoughts on which is the better console? Bearing in mind I don't want any flaming of another console, just thoughts on which one you'd consider the better?